CIVIL SERVANTS' CIVIC RIGHTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 18 June 1913, Page 4

CIVIL SERVANTS' CIVIC RIGHTS.

, In reply to a deputation winch waited On him at-Petoile, the Prime Minister • :(the: Son, 'W. F. Massey)- said (as. -ts-. '. >elf jv; he r saw 'no -eaiihlv , reason ~.vhv f:tn©n;«mployea-Hn---the---Raih\'.ay\-I)epai-T----rtieiit of in other-branches"of the Civil . beryice shoiild not take part- in ...local politics. . This had been his opinion! .for a very.long time; arid it Was his : qpmipn 5ti11..•... He sa^v-nq^objectiori: to .iv. State employee participating in loc'af Jgolifcics so^ilbhg as-Ke-attehaetl to tKte |. business of the local, bod^" in> his .ow.n { .time. That« was tW position;5 i«--a' nutshell. The- Pfcirrie '^Vlinistfer added /'••hat he drew the line at general poii- ; /tics. If employees of the State were '.j to take part in general politics it might .lead to a considerable amount of fric- . "jbibn, ■ not only from their own point of view, but with the ordinary elections. ; .He thought tliat Civil Servants generally were, wise in refraining from active participation in general politics, unless, of course, a man intended to become a, candidate. In that case he would resign his position and come out in the Ordinary way. His ooinion regarding the civic rights of Civil Servants would be expressed to Cabinet as' it had been expressed to the deputation.